Phil Mocek’s Comments

Marissa wrote, "So they don't normally ask for an ID when you present your boarding pass?"

No, my experience has been that airport security guards do ask for documentation of identity of people who wish to cross the TSA barricade. But they don't demand it. TSA publishes lots of false information about this topic, but the truth is that they do not require us to show any paperwork other than a boarding pass.

I don't want to be a founding father or a revolutionary leader. I want to be left alone to go about my lawful business without interference from agents of our government unless they have good reason to suspect I've done something unlawful.

When someone's lawful behavior -- whether it be as calm and respectful as my behavior at the airport that day or more rude and distasteful than I ever behave -- *bothers* agents of our government, I want those agents not to lock that person in a cage and lie about that lawful behavior in an attempt to justify having taken away that person's freedom.

I want agents of our government who engage in such misconduct to be removed from their positions of power.

Why act like what? I presented my boarding pass as required, and then calmly and respectfully declined to stop recording. I had previously contacted TSA at that airport and learned that there were no rules barring photography. Nearly everyone else involved later lied about the incident, so it's extremely fortunate that I had a recording of what really happened.

What other offenses do you wish I had been charged with? I didn't commit any of the four offenses of which I was accused. I didn't violate any law.

PandaMarketer, you're correct that the video does not show what happened before the video begins. Mr. Breedon, the airport security guard who is pictured in the video first, testified in court about what happened prior to him noticing that I was using my camera. He testified that I was cooperative and did not yell. Audio of his testimony and of most of the trial is available for download or streaming on Internet Archive. The Identity Project published a helpful index to the audio, with direct download links to various segments.

It varies by state, but the law requires you to identify yourself under certain circumstances. A police officer can't simply approach you on the street and compel you to identify yourself simply because he feels like doing so.